Council calls for government to catch up

February 26, 2019

City of Whittlesea Mayor Lawrie Cox joined a national call for better access to roads, transport, jobs and community facilities in fast-growing outer suburbs in Canberra last week.

Mayors and councillors from 21 of Melbourne’s growing surburban fringe gathered at the launch of the ‘Catch Up with the Outer Suburbs’ campaign at Parliament House on February 18, in the lead up to the next federal election.

Cr Cox met with Minister for Cities, Urban Infrastructure and Population Alan Tudge and Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development Anthony Albanese.

Cr Cox also met with Member for Scullin Andrew Giles and Member for McEwen Rob Mitchell, along with other members of parliament from fast-growing areas around the country.

The National Growth Areas Alliance’s campaign calls on federal politicians to ‘catch up’ with population growth in the outer suburbs and give residents access to the same essential services and infrastructure as inner-city residents.

“People move to new areas like City of Whittlesea to create a better life for themselves and their family,” Cr Cox said.

“But we have more than 8000 new residents each year and the essential services and infrastructure we need are stretched and unable to keep up with this unprecedented level of growth.

“Our residents have the right to fair levels of infrastructure investment that will enable our new and established communities to thrive.

“We are doing all we can to help our residents live in safe, healthy and connected communities. But we cannot achieve that outcome on our own. This is a national issue.”

‘Catch up with the Outer Suburbs’ has three recommendations for the Federal Government: get five million people to work, study or home on time; create jobs where the works force lives; build facilities to build communities.